17 civil rights organizations call on President Biden to rescind state dinner invitation to PM Modi
Washington, D.C., June 7, 2023: A coalition of 17 civil rights organizations, including the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), has released an open letter urging President Joe Biden to reconsider his decision to extend a state dinner invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, due to the steep decline of democratic values and the continuous violation of human rights against minority communities under his rule.
In the letter, the organizations express their concerns regarding the Modi administration’s role in promoting Hindu extremist mob violence, hate crimes, and hate speech, particularly targeting Muslims and Christians. They also highlight the implementation of discriminatory laws aimed at suppressing the citizenship rights of minorities, impeding religious conversions and interfaith marriages, and restricting the freedom of speech, dissent, and assembly.
“The invitation to Modi as a state guest signals that the US supports India’s crackdown on fundamental democratic rights and emboldens the Modi administration to intensify its anti-democratic agenda,” the letter stated.
The letter was signed by a diverse range of civil rights organizations, including Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, Dalit Solidarity Inc., World Without Genocide, International Defenders Council, International Society for Peace and Justice, Genocide Watch, Jubilee Campaign, Asian Children’s Education Fellowship, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Misión Vida para las Naciones, Church in the Republic of Uruguay, Global Christian Relief, American Sikh Council, Human Rights and Grassroots Development Society, International Commission for Dalit Rights.
Read the full letter:
